Block-signal control safety appliance for locomotives.



G. W. GERLACH. lBLOCK-SIGDML CONTROL SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

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v G. W. G'ERLACH. BLOCK SIGNAL CONTROL SAFETY APPLIANCE FORLOCONIOTIVES.

Y nieuwe.

GEORGE W. GERLCH, OF CUMBEELAND, IOVA.

enocmsrenan contraen sanare' Arrnriivcn For, Lcooiaoriv'ns.

Specification of Letters Fatcnt.

patente-:i apr', i3, wie

Original application filed Mey 6, wifi, Serial No; 'eu Divided and thisapplication led May 2s, 1.9M-,

' Serial No. Mll.

To all whom it may concer-n Be it known that l, Geenen W. Gentiloni,citizen of the United States, residing at Cumberland, in the county ofCass and State of lowa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Block-Signal Control Safety `Appliances for Locomotives,of which the following is a specification.

lMy present invention relates to new and useful improvements in safetyappliances for railways and more particularly to an appliance or devicewhich, when installed, will make up part of the equipment of alocomotiveand which will operate, in conjunction with contact shoespositioned along the track, to automatically stop any trains so.equipped in case of danger and the oh* ject of my invention is toprovide an appliance which, in conjunction with a block signal system,willautomatically apply the air brakes of the train in case of danger.`

This application is a division of my copending application for a blocksignal. control safety appliance for railroads, filed May 6, 1913 and.bearing the Serial No. 765,860.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide, in connectionwith normally open circuits controlling the engineers valve of thelocomotive, circuit closers in the form of iieXible brushes or shoes forengagement with the contacts carried by said devices when the latter aremoved to active position.

A further object of my invention is to provide an electric currentgenerator for generating the current necessary to operate `thecontrolling mechanism 'of the engineers valve when the circuits ofsaidmechanism 'are closed by the engagement of the brushes with the contactscarried by the contact` members positioned along the track. And a stillfurther object of my invention is' to provide means for driving thegenera-tor, so constructed and arranged that the throttle valve of theengine cannotibe opened with-.

.out setting the generator in motion, although when the generator isonce started, the mere closing of the throttle valve will not besuffcient to stop the same.

With these and other objects in view, my invention will be more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying dra-wings, a'nd thenspecifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and formapart of this application.

forni of locomotive equipped with my safety appliance, showing the sameengaging the contacts of a contact carrying member suoli asis employedin connection with my block signal system, as set forth in my previouslyreferred to application; Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the contactcarrying member and brush carrying housing/'of the locomotive, showingthe brushes of the locomotive in engagement with the contacts of thesignal system, the latter being shown in active position; Fig. 3 is adetail sectional view Un the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. l is a sideelevation of a conventional .form of engi neers valve, showing themanner in which ll employ a motor for automatically moving 'the valve toservice position upon closing of the circuits of the safety appliance;Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. Ll, look# ing downwardlytoward the valve to .more

clearly show the manner in which the motor cated in all the views of thedrawings by the same reference characters.

In order to insure a clear and complete understanding of my safetyappliance and its manner of operation l have illustrated the same inconnection with a conventional form ofV locomotive l() having a throttlevalve 1l operatively connected by a' link l2 to the usual form ofthiottlevalve lever 13. The locomotive and train are equipped throughoutwith air brakes of the usual or any preferred type controlled by theeligineers valve shownconventionally at ll. As all these parts may belof the usual or any desired type, any detailed description of the saineis unnecessary.

ln installing my appliance, a pipe'l is led from the steam dome 16 ofthe locomotive boiler to the inlet port of a steam tur' bine 17 having arevolving rotor keyed or otherwise secured upon a shaft 18. This j shaftis either operatively connected with or forms a continuation of theshaft 19 of an 'i electric generator 20 of conventional type.

lt will therefore be apparent that as long fitti trolling the vso bineand generator may be located `at any convenient point upon thelocomotive, veither Within or Without the cab'thereof, but a portion ofthe pipe l5 will, in any case, preferably run through the'cab and beprovided with a valve 21 of the turn plug type conadmission of steamthrough the turbine. Th

may be manually operated to open or close the valve 21.

Both the and 24, respectively, and the s ot and pin connection betweenthe said levers is so arranged that when both valves are closed, anyswinging of .the throttle lever 13 will cause a corresponding Vswingingof the valve link 24. For this reason, it is impossible to open thethrottle valve Without opening the valve 21. same time, because of slot25, the throttle valve lever 13, may, at be swung forwardly to close thethrottle valve Without in the valve link 24. It Will, therefore, beapparent that the throttle valve cannot be opened Without opening thevalve 21 controlling .the passage of steam to the turbine and that atthe same time throttle valve owever,.if the throttle valve is closed,the valve link 24 may be manually moved forto close the valve 21.

' closed, as long as the throttle valve is open.

' erator under propel' conditions,

eeause of this, the turbine and Will both operate, tions,

generator under ordinary cond1- when a train is passing down grade withits throttle valve closed, the intention driven at all which, whenenergized, handle of tt atively connected to the engineers vali/e141.`

As there shown, the .motor is supported the provision of the.

any Way affecting y ofa block signal system on a run' and' at each placeabove the engineers valve by a bracket 29 in and the service applicationof the valve takes 'een these stops. provide operative connectionbetween the motor and valve handle, I provide he motor shaft 30 with adis: 35 l concentrically formed slot 36 through which is passed acarried by the valve handle 32. rEhe disk is also provided with aradially extending influence of the motor.

It, will of course be clean/inasmuch as, der normal conditions, themotor 28 is deenergized, that the connection between lne motor andvalve-handle will in no way interfere with the manual actuation of saidvalve handle to permit any desired application of the valve as the motorshaft will turn freely when is denergized. As soon, however, as themotor is energized, the disk Will rotate from whatever position ithappens to occupy, in the direction of the` arrow in Fig. 5, until thepin 37 seats in the rear end of the slot 2G when further rotation of'the disk Will turn the valve handle 32, thisl movement being continueduntil the stop 38 of the disk engages the stop of the valve casing. Thisstop 38 is so arranged that this Will occur when the valve handle hasbeen moved to service position. The slot 36 is so formed that when thevalve handle has been moved to service position by rotation of the disk35, the valve handle may e manually moved ahead to emergency position,if necessary, the pin 37 moving freely from the rear to the `iorward endof the slot, for this purpose.

e above constitutes the chief or primary part of my present invention,the rc mainder consisting in the provision of the necessary circuitsbetween the generator and motor and circuit clos-'ers included in saidcircuits in the form of contact brushes or shoes adapted to be engagedby the contacts when the said latter contacts are moved to activeposition. It will of course be apparent that the construction ofthecircuit' closers and manner of mountino the same,` will varyconsiderably' according to the type of block signal system installed inthe road over which the locon'iotive equipped with my safety appli` anceis to operate.

For this reason, I have lllutrated, in IFigs. 1, 2 and 3 of thedrawings, a particular type of circuit closei orY contact shoe andmanner of mounting the Litt;

"ideama @t contact* carrying member employed in the block signal systeminvented by me and fully disclosed in a copending application. Thecontact carrying member of said block signal system is also shown inFigs. l and 2 in connection with the circuit closers of my safetyappliance and to insure a clear understanding of the operation of thelatter, l will iirst explain, in a general way, the construction of thecontact carrying member of the block signal system.

As fully explained in my copending apseveral times referred to, my blocksignal system includes a track divided into a plurality of blocks, therails of each block forming portions of a track circuit and each trackcircuit controlling a circuit closer included in a signal circuit. Thesignal circuits overlap each other and are each provided with a pair ofcontact carrying members or devices, one of which is showir -in Figs. land 2, these contact carrying devices being located adjacent the trackat the juncture of one block with the next. lEach of these contactcarrying devices includes a base cr platform 39 Inwhich is mounted uponthe extended ends of ties el() which carry the rails il of the track.This base supiorts an electric motor 4t2 which is included m thesignal.circuit above referred to and forms an actuating means for movingthe Aat contact members of the device in and out of' active position.The shaft of this motor is operatively connected with a shaft 4:3journaled in spaced brackets all which also form bearings for a secondshaft 45 disposed in parallel spaced relation to the first. Theseshaft-s carry the contact members 426 and 53, respectively.

The contact member 46 includes spaced heads 4S and 4:9 secured againstrotation upon the shaft adjacent the brackets, a cylindrical contactmember 50 extending in parallel spaced relation to the shaft and4connected at its ends to the heads and a..

counterweight 5l also extending in parallel spaced relation to the shaftand diametricallv opposite the contact 50, this counterweight also beingsecured by its ends to the heads. -In like manner, the contact member(t7 includes heads carrying a contact member 54- and counterwoight theseparts loeing identical in construction to the corresponding parts of thecontact member above described. The heads are connected by links in'such a manner that any rotation of 'the shaft 43 will cause acorresponding rotation of the shaft`45. The motor isso arranged. thatlwhen energized, it will turn the shaft 43 and 'consequently the shaft 45to hold the contact member-'s with their counterweights uppermost, theswinging of said Contact members, under the influence' of the motor,being limited by the engagement of the Contact 50 with a stop pin 56. Assoon however, as the motor Li2 is deenergized the counterweightsimmediately swing the contact members to the position shown in Fig. 2 inwhich position they are blocked against further swinging by stops 57carried by the brackets 4A.

All of the above described mechanism is preferably inclosed in asuitable casing or housing 58, that side of the housing against thetracks being opened for a reason which will be hereinafter apparent. Thebase 39 is provided at its forward edge, adjacent each end, with anupwardly directed stand.

ard 59 and these standards are connected immediately above and below thepositions occupied by the upper land lower contacts,

respectively, when swung 'to `active position by outwardly bowed plates60 and 61, the

the locomotive may be supported from any suitable part thereof,preferably from the bumper timber 62, one method being that sliowninFig. 2 of the drawings including a hanger 63 extending downwardly fromone end of the timber and provided with spaced bearings G4 and 65 linedwith vulcanized rubber, fiber or other suitable insulating material 66through'which are passed the inner ends of pipes'67 and 68, said pipeends being provided with binding posts 69. and 70, respectively. Thepipes terminate at their outer ends in heads 71 carrying blocks ofinsulating material "Y2 which in turn carry spring brushes or shoes 73.Secured about the outer end of each of the pipes 66 and 68 andsurrounding, in spaced relation, the heads, insulating blocks and innerport-ion of the brushes, are cup-shaped metallic housings 7-l soarranged that when the brushes Y?) engage the contacts 50 and 54 of theContact carrying devices, they will be l the locomotive in order that atleast v one pair will be engaged by any contact, members held in activeposition, irrespective of which side of the track the contact mem allsides, the outer faces of thus formed are lined with sleeves 77 and 78of insulating material through which the .immediately force the pipesare slidable. The sleeves 77--78 are provided at their rear ends with'radially directed flanges 79 and helical springs 80 are positioned oneabout each of the pipes 67 and 68 bearing between these flanges andcollars 8l secured to the pipes by set screws 82, the function of thesesprings being to normally hold the housing in outward position vto seatthe brushes in the pockets thereof.

When a train approaches one of the' con tact carrying devices theforward portion of the brush housing upon that side of the trackadjacent the contactcarrying device is engaged by the inclined forwardends f the plates 60 and 61 of said device and forced inwardly along thebrush carrying pipes to expose the brushes which,'as previouslyexplained., extend in the path-of the. contacts if they be inactiveposition. As soon as theengine has passed, the `springs housing outwardlagain to protect the brushes.l It should benoted at this point that thebrushes are vcompletely insulated from the pipes supporting the same andthat the brush housing 74' and pipes 67 and 68 are completely'`'insulated from the main housing 75 and cups 74 hangers 64. e

Having thus described thev mechanical construction and Aoperation of all.parts of 'my safety appliance, I will now 'explain the wiring of thecircuits by means of which the motor controlling the engineers valve lisoperated by the engagement of the brushes with the contacts of thecontact carrying de-` vices of the block signal4 system. A conductorwire 83 leads from the generator to' the forward portion of thelocomotive and is electrically connected by a wire 84,with the bindingposts of each of the pipes 68 and conseqilentlywith each of the housingof the lower brushes 73. A conductor wire has its ends, which areinsulated, passed through the pipes 68 of the brush holders andelectrically connected to the lower brushes 73, being secured in placeby' set screws 8 5. A conductorwire 86 connects this wire 85 with themotor 28,

y while a conductor wire 87 connects the motor with a conductor wire-88. This latter wire is electrically to the motor,

. the dynamo may be 'not wish, in any way,

through the pipes 67 and connected to the brushes supported by saidpipes. A wire 89 connects the binding posts 69 of the pipes 67 and awire leads from this wire 89 to the generator or dynamo 20. It willtherefore be apparent that each. of the brushes and each of thecupshaped housings or casings of each pair of the brushes form parts ofa circuit through the dynamo and motor, the circuit being normally openbetween the upper brush and housing of each pair and also between thelower brush and housing of each pair.

In operation,

leads by its ends assuming that the train is moving alon the track, withthe valve 2l, controlling t e passage of steam to the turbine, open andwith the turbine and dynamo both in motiomif the-locomotive passes acontact carrying device in which the con tacts are in active position,its brushes cngaging against the contacts will be meinentarily sprungagainst the sides of their respective housings and the following circuit(dosed. Current passing from the generator or dynamo through the wire 83and wire 8i to the housing of the lower brush, from said housing throughsaid wire and the wire 86 through the motor, wire 87 andl wire 88 tothe'upper brush from the upper brush'toA the housing 7 4 thereof and alongthe pipe 67 to the wire 89 and so through the wire 90 back to thedynamo. It wil therefore, be apparent that the circuit thus'momeutarilyclosed through the y dynamo and motor will start the motor and cause thesame to move the enginee1"s valve to service position and s`o apply theair brakes. The contacts 50 and 54 should, of course, be of sufficientlength to insure a long enough closing of the circuit to cause asulicient length of operation of the motor, a short time, however, iissuflicient'for this. It will of course be understood that the wiringillustrated in Fig. 1 is wholly dia'- grammatic and that in practice,`all of these wires lwill be heavily. insulated and prefer-y ablyinclosed in conduitsa.r It will urtherbe understood that the currentgenerated by utiliz/.ed for other fpurposes beside that of actuating the',motor as it may be employed for service current' for other signalingdevicesgdbout a train, -for lighting or other purposes, 'if desired;

The above described mechanism is not at all 'complicated and may bereadily installed at small cost and when employed in connection with asuitable" block signal system,

should afford absolute protection to trains l under all circumstances.

It will of course be understood that I do to limit myselfl to thespecific details of construction, or arrangement of parts, illustratedand described in this application, as various minor changes LiemersWithin the scope of the appended claims,

may be made at any time, if desired, without in the slightest degreedeparting from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. ln an appliance of the character described, the combination with anengineers valve, of`a circuit closer, a motor, a circuit through themotor and circuit closer, the motor being operatively connected to theengineers valveto open the latter when the motor is energized, currentgenerating means including a steam motor, means for supplying steam tothe motor, a valve in said supply means, and a connecting link securedtothe valve and adapted for oper ative connection to the throttle valvelever.

2. ln an appliance of the character described, the combination with anengineers valve/ and a throttle valve lever, of a steam' turbine, meansincluding a valve for supplying steam to the turbine, a motoroperatively connected to lthe engineers valve, a

circuit closer, a circuit through the motor and circuit closer, meansoperable by the turbine for generating current wfor such circuit, and alink connecting the valve and throttle valve lever, the connectionbetween the link and lever being such that movementl of the throttlevalve lever, to open the throttle valve, Will cause opening. of thesteam valve although movement of t e throttle valve lever Vto close .thethrottle valve will not afcct the steam valve.

3. ln an appliance of the character described, the combination 'with anengineers valve, of a circuit closer, a motor, a circuit through themotor' and circuit closer, the motor being operativelyT connected to theengineers valve, current generating means,

and means for actuating the current generating means, said latter meansbeing adapted to be thrown into operation by opening of the throttlevalve of the engine.

1n testimony whereof ailix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

GEGRGE W. GERLACH. [1.. s]

Witnesses z v F. C. WILLIAMS, J. Covnvn.

